Ynys Môn was a key part of the territory ruled by the lords and princes of Gwynedd in the middle ages with the headquarters and the principal court of the Principality in Aberffraw.
Following the Conquest by Edward I in 1282 the lands of the Principality were reorganised and taken under the direct authority and administration of the crown. Under this new order, Gwynedd was split into three counties and based on the pattern adopted in England. The new borough established around the castle in Beaumaris became the local headquarters whilst military and financial matters for the three counties were centred in Caernarfon.
In 1535 the administration of certain Welsh borough counties was reorganised and this applied to Anglesey when the post of justice of the peace was established for the first time and again following a precedent set in England with a duty to manage local government and keep order. This became a precedent for the comprehensive reorganisation of administration in Wales with the introduction of the acts of union in 1536 and 1543. The status of Ynys Môn as one of the thirteen Welsh counties was confirmed, each county under the authority of justices of the peace - initially eight for each county - and operating in quarter sessions which, in the case of Anglesey, met mostly in Beaumaris.
For three centuries local government in Anglesey was controlled by landowners and men of influence on the island and this situation continued until 1888-89.
Over the centuries a great deal was added to the work of justices of the peace not only as regards keeping the peace and maintaining the law courts and the Beaumaris Gaol but also in the administration of roads and bridges and supervising the welfare of the poor and itinerants. As regards the condition of the roads the responsibilities of the quarter session was enhanced when the turnpike highway was opened from Shrewsbury to Holyhead and when the Menai Suspension Bridge was opened in 1826 - these two events underlined the importance of Anglesey in communication matters between Britain and Ireland.
Two other changes were introduced in the nineteenth century which proved to be of great significance to the future of the Island. Firstly the county, in common with all the other counties, established its own police force following the act of 1856. On the other hand a degree of co-operation was established and the quarter sessions decided in 1846 to make a contribution towards building the North Wales Mental Health Hospital in Denbigh in 1848. These two changes necessitated a considerable growth in the county's budget and entailed much greater responsibilities for the justices of the peace.
By 1888 the quarter sessions had many administrative and legal responsibilities but were still not accountable to the public. It was during this year that the Local Government Act was passed and lead to the establishment of elected county councils for the first time. The Isle of Anglesey benefited from this change.
In 1889 all the administrative and the welfare responsibilities were transferred to the first elected council (56 members). In fact, these responsibilities were enhanced, especially in secondary education, technical education and agriculture. All this activity was relocated to Llangefni which was more central than Beaumaris and the new shire hall was opened in 1896.
The responsibility for the police was divided between councillors and justices of the peace by the formation of the Standing Joint Committee which continued to meet in Beaumaris. In social terms these changes to government meant the demise of the influence enjoyed by landed gentry and in their place came the agricultural and commercial middle classes to gain control. Politically this heralded the transfer of power in local government in Wales to the Liberal party, and especially so in Anglesey.
With the introduction of the Education Act 1902 considerable responsibilities were given to local government for primary and secondary education. Despite the controversy of this particular legislation, caused by denominational factors, Anglesey led the way amongst rural authorities by providing primary education of a high standard in new council schools.
During the 1920s and 1930s Anglesey played a leading role in developing the medical inspection service for rural areas and also in building the first council houses for rural residents.
By this time the party political element was waning within the council. The three major parties were still represented on the council (and representatives of other parties after the second world war), but, increasingly, the council became more and more independent by 1939 when the Jubilee celebrations were held to celebrate the establishment of the county council.
During the second world war certain county council powers were withdrawn by central government and especially in matters of security and welfare, and ad-hoc undemocratic bodies under the authority of regional commissioners were given authority. However, this was an opportunity for councils such as Anglesey to review past practice and to consider new directions.
A new direction was certainly taken by the Anglesey Education Committee under the guidance of its Director E.O. Humphreys, between 1946 and 1948. The county took the lead in adopting pioneering plans for the introduction of comprehensive secondary education. The objectives were achieved in 1949 when the Holyhead Grammar School became a comprehensive school under the guidance of its headteacher, Trevor Lovett.
A Comprehensive Development Plan was formed by the county in 1954 with the aim of regenerating the county's towns, improving services for the rural areas and providing programmes for economic development.
In the 1960s the Council responded positively to a wish that smaller councils be amalgamated to meet the requirements of the national health. Anglesey was prominent in submitting observations jointly with the counties of Caernarfon and Meirionnydd on the future of local government.
The spirit of co-operation was also very evident when Anglesey joined with all the other North Wales Counties to establish the North Wales Police in 1966.
The county was amalgamated with Caernarfon and Meirionnydd to create the new Gwynedd in 1974. This was part of the modern restructuring of local government in Britain and was also partly a response to the growth in decentralised administration following the establishment of the Welsh Office in 1964.
However the identity of Anglesey was not completely erased. The island continued to be a sub unit with the status of a borough council which in turn became the basis for the restoration of its status in 1995/6 with a form of local government which would be nearer to the people and the establishment of the Isle of Anglesey County Council.
